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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. pop — soda
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — a company
  5. roll — a cake
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. firm — decided
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — a list
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — to push
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. firm — steady
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. arm — part of the body
  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