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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. press — a publisher
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. scale — in music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. perch — the fish
  14. scale — size or range
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. board — a committee
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. press — to push
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. press — newspapers

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