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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spring — of water
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bank — for money
  6. file — a line of people
  7. press — newspapers
  8. file — a document
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. file — a tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bank — of a river
  15. vault — a safe
  16. charge — a price
  17. bank — for money
  18. press — a publisher
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. spring — a coil
  21. charge — electricity
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. charge — in control
  24. press — to push

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