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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. can — to be able to
  6. press — to push
  7. ground — a position
  8. current — of water
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. current — happening now
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ground — the earth
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. current — electric
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ruler — for measuring

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