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

Word bank: dip · arm · wave · press · rest · rule · fork · roll

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. roll — a list
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. rest — what's left
  11. dip — to sink
  12. press — to push
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rest — a break
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rule — a law
  22. rest — what's left
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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