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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: fan · ball · press · chair · trunk · staff · sharp · ground

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ground — a position
  3. press — newspapers
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. ground — the earth
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ground — crushed
  21. sharp — clever
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. press — to push
  24. sharp — with an edge

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