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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fine — all right
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. deal — to handle
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. fine — high quality
  9. press — to push
  10. drill — the tool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. drill — army training
  13. field — a subject
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. field — farmland
  20. field — for sport
  21. drill — a practice
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. arm — part of the body

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