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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lean — thin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. press — a publisher
  15. lean — to bend
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. present — there
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. present — a gift
  21. bulb — for light
  22. present — the time now
  23. press — to push
  24. wave — of the sea

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