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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: drill · scale · arm · board · game · present · press · cue

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. press — to push
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cue — a signal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. game — wild animals
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — army training
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. present — a gift
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cue — a hint
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. drill — a practice
  17. scale — size or range
  18. board — a committee
  19. present — the time now
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. game — a match
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. present — there

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