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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. kid — to tease
  3. press — newspapers
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ball — a dance
  9. press — a publisher
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mate — a friend
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wake — a trail
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. press — to push
  23. bank — for money
  24. hide — to keep secret

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