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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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Word bank
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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spell — a short time
  3. race — humankind
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tube — a container
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. press — to push
  14. spell — magic
  15. press — newspapers
  16. race — the arms race
  17. press — a publisher
  18. race — a contest
  19. spell — letters
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. tube — the underground

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