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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bore — to tire
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. key — in music
  6. press — to push
  7. lie — to recline
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bore — to drill
  11. press — newspapers
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cell — in biology
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cell — a phone

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