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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 116 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: mark · chair · drill · cell · tube · bay · press · wave

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. cell — a phone
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. drill — army training
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mark — a grade
  14. press — to push
  15. drill — the tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. chair — a leader
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — a trace
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bay — a horse colour

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