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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. press — newspapers
  8. chest — of your body
  9. press — to push
  10. board — a committee
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. spell — letters
  15. mark — a trace
  16. press — a publisher
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. board — to get on
  20. saw — the tool
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. chest — a box
  24. mark — a grade

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