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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. press — to push
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. court — of a king
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. press — a publisher
  7. court — of law
  8. suit — to fit
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. tear — from crying
  14. court — for sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tear — from crying
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cue — for pool
  19. press — newspapers
  20. tear — to rip
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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