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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. press — a publisher
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mug — a face
  7. toast — bread
  8. mug — a cup
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mug — to rob
  11. press — newspapers
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wind — moving air
  17. snap — to click
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wind — moving air
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. press — to push
  24. jam — a tight spot

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