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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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Word bank
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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. press — a publisher
  7. face — part of the head
  8. plane — a tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. race — a contest
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rash — hasty
  18. press — to push
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — in football
  22. rash — a series
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. kick — a thrill

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