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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 120 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: dip · arm · rest · craft · cabinet · press · mark · ball

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. press — to push
  5. rest — a break
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mark — a trace
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a dance
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. press — newspapers
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — boats
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ball — a great time

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