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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 120 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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. firm — steady
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. land — a country
  5. tear — from crying
  6. press — to push
  7. firm — a company
  8. press — a publisher
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. land — to come down
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. press — newspapers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. land — ground
  23. pound — a weight
  24. firm — decided

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