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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. row — a line
  4. can — a tin
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bulb — for light
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wind — moving air
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. press — a publisher
  16. plane — a tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. row — to paddle
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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