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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mug — a face
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mug — to rob
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. press — a publisher
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. dip — to sink
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. swing — to play on
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mug — a cup
  20. swing — in golf
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. swing — music
  23. press — newspapers
  24. chip — to eat

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