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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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 — a publisher
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. toast — bread
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. press — newspapers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pass — a permit
  12. press — to push
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mug — a face
  15. chair — a leader
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. field — farmland
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. toast — the most admired

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