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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: chair · firm · last · press · fan · hide · suit · ball

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. press — newspapers
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. press — to push
  11. last — finally
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — steady
  15. last — final
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. last — to go on
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chair — a leader
  22. ball — a great time
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chair — to sit on

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