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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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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: arm · bowl · pop · rash · press · saw · object · date

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. press — to push
  7. saw — the tool
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rash — a series
  10. object — an aim
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rash — hasty
  13. object — to protest
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — music
  16. object — a thing
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pop — soda
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. press — a publisher

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