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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. cap — a lid
  6. press — to push
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. chip — for betting
  11. press — a publisher
  12. track — a path
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. press — newspapers
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — a song
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fork — in a road
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. arm — part of the body

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