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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. current — electric
  4. press — a publisher
  5. spell — letters
  6. object — to protest
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. spell — magic
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — a short time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. current — happening now
  14. object — a thing
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. current — of water
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. object — an aim
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cell — a phone

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