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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. press — to push
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. fine — all right
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. press — newspapers
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rock — music

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