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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. chair — a leader
  3. firm — decided
  4. press — newspapers
  5. mug — a face
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rock — music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. firm — steady
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. press — to push
  19. vault — a safe
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rock — a stone
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com