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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: band · rock · saw · ball · arm · pass · press · staff

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. press — newspapers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pass — a permit
  12. staff — employees
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rock — a stone
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. ball — a dance
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. saw — the tool
  19. band — a ring
  20. rock — music
  21. band — a music group
  22. staff — employees
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ball — a great time

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