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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. object — an aim
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. press — newspapers
  5. ground — the earth
  6. kid — child
  7. chair — a leader
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. object — a thing
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. press — to push
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bank — for money
  16. ground — a position
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. object — to protest
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bank — for money

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