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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mine — for digging
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. prune — to trim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. press — a publisher

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