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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. press — a publisher
  8. race — humankind
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — boats
  14. staff — a stick
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. race — a contest
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rest — a break
  20. fork — in a road
  21. race — the arms race
  22. press — to push
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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