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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. press — a publisher
  3. foot — a measure
  4. press — newspapers
  5. drill — a practice
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — help
  9. bound — tied together
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. hand — in cards
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bound — certain
  15. rest — a break
  16. press — to push
  17. drill — army training
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rest — what's left
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bound — obliged
  23. rest — what's left
  24. leaves — to go away

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