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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 124 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. drill — army training
  3. press — to push
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pound — a weight
  7. staff — employees
  8. spring — of water
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. press — a publisher
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. chip — for betting
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — newspapers
  22. drill — the tool
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spring — the season

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