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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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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. foot — a measure
  3. race — a contest
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cap — a lid
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cell — in biology
  8. race — the arms race
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. suit — to fit
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. press — a publisher
  16. row — a line
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. race — humankind
  19. row — to paddle
  20. press — newspapers
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. foot — 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