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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. press — to push
  3. toast — bread
  4. wound — an injury
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. key — in music
  10. press — newspapers
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. key — the most important part
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. present — the time now
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. present — there
  21. wound — an injury
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. present — a gift

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