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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. firm — steady
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. field — a subject
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cue — for pool
  17. march — the month
  18. press — to push
  19. firm — decided
  20. march — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. field — farmland
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. march — the month

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