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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. stand — to bear
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bulb — for light
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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