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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: staff · last · ground · object · bay · sharp · shower · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. last — to go on
  5. object — an aim
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ground — crushed
  8. staff — employees
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ground — a position
  12. press — to push
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. shower — to wash
  17. object — to protest
  18. last — final
  19. press — a publisher
  20. staff — employees
  21. object — a thing
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. last — finally

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