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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spell — letters
  3. bass — the fish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bass — low music
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. face — to point toward
  12. spell — a short time
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. can — to be able to
  17. face — to confront
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. spell — magic
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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