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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. squash — to crush
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chair — a leader
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. press — newspapers
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spell — magic
  18. ground — a position
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. press — to push
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. ground — crushed
  24. press — a publisher

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