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

Word bank: chair · suit · deal · present · press · wake · pound · plane

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. present — there
  3. press — newspapers
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. press — a publisher
  6. present — a gift
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. present — the time now
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. press — to push
  13. pound — a weight
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wake — a trail
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chair — a leader

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