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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. row — to paddle
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mug — a face
  14. row — a line
  15. rule — a law
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rule — government
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mug — a cup
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mug — to rob

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