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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · cue · fine · chair · staff · capital · bulb · press

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — employees
  10. capital — a city
  11. staff — employees
  12. fine — all right
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cue — for pool
  17. press — to push
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. cue — a signal
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. capital — money
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bulb — for light
  24. press — a publisher

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