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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 120 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — to protest
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. club — for golf
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. club — for dancing
  14. press — to push
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. press — newspapers
  20. fine — all right
  21. club — a group
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bear — the animal

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