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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — electricity
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. press — newspapers
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. press — to push
  13. present — a gift
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — in control
  18. present — there
  19. charge — a price
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. present — the time now
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. kick — in football

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