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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rush — hurry
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pitch — completely
  6. press — newspapers
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. board — a committee
  13. chest — of your body
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. press — to push
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. arm — a part of something

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