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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: staff · wave · net · press · chair · ruler · jam · toast

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. staff — employees
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. toast — bread
  14. staff — employees
  15. net — for catching
  16. staff — a stick
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. net — in sport
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. net — after costs
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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