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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. press — a publisher
  5. tube — a container
  6. mug — a face
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. saw — the tool
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mug — a cup
  16. date — the fruit
  17. press — to push
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mug — to rob

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