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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. wind — moving air
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitch — completely
  6. last — finally
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. last — to go on
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bank — for money
  12. press — a publisher
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bank — for money
  17. press — to push
  18. saw — the tool
  19. last — final
  20. bank — of a river
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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