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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. press — to push
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. can — to be able to
  6. kick — in football
  7. can — a tin
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wound — an injury
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. squash — the sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wound — an injury
  16. roll — a list
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. squash — to crush
  20. roll — a cake
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. can — a tin

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