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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. press — newspapers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. can — to be able to
  6. lean — to bend
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. can — a tin
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. can — a tin
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. face — to point toward
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. face — to confront
  17. lean — thin
  18. press — a publisher
  19. branch — a division
  20. kid — child
  21. press — to push
  22. kid — to tease
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. face — part of the head

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