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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mug — a face
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rock — music
  6. press — to push
  7. mug — to rob
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mug — a cup
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. degree — from a university
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — a publisher
  19. degree — an amount
  20. press — newspapers
  21. kick — in football
  22. degree — temperature
  23. foot — a measure
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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