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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ground — a position
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. clip — for paper
  8. row — to paddle
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. row — a line
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. ground — crushed
  17. press — a publisher
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. clip — to cut
  20. ground — the earth
  21. clip — a video
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. press — to push
  24. temple — a place of worship

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