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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. press — newspapers
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — of a river
  7. drill — army training
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. press — to push
  11. bank — for money
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mine — for digging
  15. track — a path
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bank — for money
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. drill — a practice
  22. press — a publisher
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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