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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: foot · press · bear · mark · arm · hide · rock · clip

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rock — a stone
  3. press — newspapers
  4. clip — to cut
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rock — music
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bear — the animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. clip — a video
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mark — a grade
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. hide — to keep secret

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