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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. press — to push
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ground — a position
  8. can — to be able to
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stand — to bear
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — the tool
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. saw — the tool
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. ground — the earth

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