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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. cap — a lid
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cap — a hat
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. spring — a coil
  10. firm — decided
  11. net — after costs
  12. cap — of ice
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. firm — steady
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. net — for catching
  18. press — to push
  19. firm — a company
  20. press — a publisher
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — in sport
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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