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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cell — in biology
  5. press — newspapers
  6. shower — rain
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. shower — to wash
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pass — a permit
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. foot — a measure
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cell — a phone
  24. arm — part of the body

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