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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 120 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 · hide · deal · kid · foot · press · rest · bay

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. kid — child
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rest — a break
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. rest — what's left
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. chair — a leader
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. kid — to tease
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. foot — a measure

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