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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rule — government
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rule — a law
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — to push
  18. pound — for dogs

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