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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — newspapers
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pass — a permit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. track — a song
  11. press — to push
  12. charge — a price
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — in control
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bear — to put up with

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