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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bat — the animal
  8. band — a music group
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. band — a ring
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — to visit
  15. can — a tin
  16. press — to push
  17. object — a thing
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. object — an aim
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. can — to be able to
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. arm — a part of something

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