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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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mate — to breed
  7. spell — a short time
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. spell — letters
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wind — moving air
  16. press — a publisher
  17. wind — moving air
  18. spell — magic
  19. press — to push
  20. wake — a trail
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mate — a friend

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