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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. file — a document
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pound — a weight
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bass — the fish
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. ball — a great time
  13. file — a tool
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mark — a grade
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — low music
  22. press — to push
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ball — a dance

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