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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. mug — a face
  3. press — to push
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. current — of water
  6. mug — a cup
  7. lie — to recline
  8. tear — from crying
  9. press — a publisher
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. court — for sport
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mug — to rob
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. tear — from crying
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. current — electric
  19. court — of a king
  20. tear — to rip
  21. current — happening now
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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