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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. charge — in control
  4. current — electric
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chest — a box
  7. press — to push
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — tied together
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. press — newspapers
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. chest — of your body
  19. charge — a price
  20. current — of water
  21. bound — certain
  22. current — happening now
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. foot — the bottom

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