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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rash — a series
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. last — finally
  13. pit — a hole
  14. last — final
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pit — in a race
  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