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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. firm — a company
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. press — to push
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. land — ground
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — steady
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bass — low music
  12. firm — decided
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — a series
  16. land — a country
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. land — to come down
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. press — newspapers
  24. arm — a part of something

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