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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 · deal · press · hand · cabinet · race · perch · ruler

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hand — in cards
  4. race — a contest
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. press — to push
  7. race — humankind
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. race — the arms race
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. staff — employees
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. perch — the fish
  19. press — a publisher
  20. staff — employees
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — to handle
  24. staff — a stick

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