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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — to tire
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. net — in sport
  8. bore — to drill
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. press — to push
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. press — newspapers
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. toast — bread
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. press — a publisher

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