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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — to push
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. charge — in control
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pit — a hole
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. charge — a price
  10. mark — a grade
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — army training
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mark — a trace
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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