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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. press — to push
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. content — happy
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. press — newspapers
  9. content — the amount
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. chip — for betting
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. press — a publisher
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. chip — to eat

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