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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · bay · rule · press · dip · lean

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rule — a law
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. press — newspapers
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rule — government
  12. lean — thin
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. chair — a leader
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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