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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. press — a publisher
  8. foot — a measure
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. press — newspapers
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. press — to push
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ball — a great time

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