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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — to push
  3. band — a music group
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wax — to grow
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rest — what's left
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mug — a face
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mug — to rob
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rest — a break
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. mug — a cup
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  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