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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. kid — to tease
  3. hand — in cards
  4. row — to paddle
  5. hand — help
  6. press — to push
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. row — a line
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. kid — child
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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