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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. object — an aim
  3. can — to be able to
  4. object — a thing
  5. press — a publisher
  6. object — to protest
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. press — newspapers
  9. craft — a skill
  10. file — a document
  11. staff — a stick
  12. press — to push
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. file — a line of people
  18. staff — employees
  19. craft — boats
  20. file — a tool
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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