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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. land — ground
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. chest — a box
  9. press — newspapers
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. land — to come down
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. land — a country
  16. plane — a tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chest — of your body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. race — a contest
  23. staff — a stick
  24. press — to push

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