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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · key · wake · fan · court · press · staff · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. key — in music
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. staff — employees
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. court — of a king
  9. wake — a trail
  10. present — there
  11. key — for a lock
  12. press — to push
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. press — a publisher
  16. present — a gift
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. court — of law
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — the most important part
  23. court — for sport
  24. chair — a leader

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