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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.

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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stand — to bear
  5. row — a line
  6. press — newspapers
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. can — a tin
  13. roll — a cake
  14. can — a tin
  15. press — to push
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lean — thin

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