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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. can — to be able to
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. can — a tin
  6. clip — to cut
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. press — to push
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pound — a weight
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — a video
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — a hole
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pound — for dogs

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