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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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Word bank
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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: press · ruler · bowl · key · staff · chair

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. staff — employees
  6. chair — a leader
  7. staff — employees
  8. press — a publisher
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. press — to push
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. chair — to sit on

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