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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. press — to push
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pass — to spend time
  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