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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. press — to push
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stock — shares
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stock — goods
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. firm — steady
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pass — a permit
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pass — to succeed

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