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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: lie · saw · coach · arm · hand · bore · press · rule

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. press — to push
  3. bore — to drill
  4. hand — in cards
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rule — government
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — help
  12. saw — the tool
  13. press — newspapers
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rule — a law
  17. press — a publisher
  18. lie — to recline
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rule — to rule out

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