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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. press — newspapers
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mate — a friend
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. march — the month
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. content — happy
  17. content — the amount
  18. press — to push
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mate — a partner
  21. press — a publisher
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — with your hand

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