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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: suit · last · bay · wake · chair · trunk · net · press

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. net — after costs
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chair — a leader
  6. suit — to fit
  7. last — finally
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wake — a trail
  14. last — final
  15. net — in sport
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. press — to push
  18. net — for catching
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. last — to go on
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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