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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. chest — a box
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. press — to push
  10. track — a song
  11. chest — of your body
  12. track — a path
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chest — of your body
  17. file — a document
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. press — newspapers
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — a tool
  23. file — a tool
  24. press — a publisher

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