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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. present — a gift
  3. press — newspapers
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. present — there
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. drill — army training
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fine — high quality
  12. date — the fruit
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pass — a permit
  17. press — a publisher
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. present — the time now
  21. fine — all right
  22. drill — a practice
  23. press — to push
  24. fine — a penalty

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