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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wake — a trail
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. race — humankind
  7. press — to push
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cue — a signal
  14. race — the arms race
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. press — newspapers
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cap — a lid
  22. race — a contest
  23. mug — a cup
  24. trunk — of a car

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