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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. object — a thing
  3. press — newspapers
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ground — the earth
  8. club — a group
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ground — a position
  11. object — to protest
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wound — an injury
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wound — an injury
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. club — for golf
  18. object — an aim
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. club — for dancing
  22. press — to push
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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