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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: clip · arm · row · rest · bowl · season · charge · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. press — newspapers
  4. charge — in control
  5. clip — for paper
  6. row — a line
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — in sport
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. row — to paddle
  15. clip — a video
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. press — a publisher
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. clip — to cut
  24. season — of the year

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