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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. tear — from crying
  8. kick — in football
  9. net — after costs
  10. press — newspapers
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. press — to push
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. press — a publisher
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bore — to tire
  24. kick — with a leg

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