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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. press — newspapers
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. rest — a break
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rest — what's left
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitch — completely
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. tube — a container
  22. press — to push
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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