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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. mark — a grade
  3. press — newspapers
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. capital — money
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. wound — an injury
  17. press — a publisher
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. capital — a city
  20. wound — an injury
  21. press — to push
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. hide — to keep secret

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