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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. press — a publisher
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. press — to push
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fine — all right
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. press — newspapers
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. net — for catching
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — after costs
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. net — in sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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