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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. net — after costs
  4. drill — a practice
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — the tool
  11. net — for catching
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. press — a publisher
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — in sport

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