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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cap — of ice
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. press — to push
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ground — a position
  11. mate — a partner
  12. staff — employees
  13. mate — a friend
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cap — a hat
  18. staff — employees
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mate — to breed
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lie — to recline
  24. staff — a stick

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