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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: object · sharp · ground · row · staff · press · cue · race

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cue — a hint
  3. object — to protest
  4. press — a publisher
  5. row — a line
  6. object — a thing
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. staff — employees
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. press — newspapers
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ground — the earth
  19. race — humankind
  20. press — to push
  21. row — to paddle
  22. staff — employees
  23. object — an aim
  24. sharp — exactly

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