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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. swing — to play on
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. swing — in golf
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — there
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. press — to push
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. present — the time now
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. present — a gift
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. press — a publisher
  20. swing — music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pound — a weight
  24. calf — a young animal

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