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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rest — what's left
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — the most important part
  6. press — to push
  7. key — in music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lean — to bend
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. dip — to sink
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rest — a break
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. press — a publisher
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lean — thin

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