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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · press · tube · arm · bay · court · dip · stock

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stock — shares
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. court — of law
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. court — of a king
  14. bear — the animal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. court — for sport
  20. stock — goods
  21. press — to push
  22. tube — the underground
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bear — the animal

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