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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
468
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: chest · pop · arm · mouse · press · cabinet · season · toast

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chest — a box
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. toast — bread
  5. season — in sport
  6. press — to push
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pop — to visit
  13. season — of the year
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pop — music
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. season — to add flavour

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