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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. press — newspapers
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bound — obliged
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. can — a tin
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. can — to be able to
  15. board — to get on
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bound — tied together
  20. board — a committee
  21. tear — to rip
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pitch — completely
  24. press — to push

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