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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chair — a leader
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. key — in music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. hand — help
  14. key — the most important part
  15. press — to push
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chip — for betting
  21. suit — in cards
  22. hand — in cards
  23. key — for a lock
  24. press — newspapers

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