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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.

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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. row — a line
  5. suit — in cards
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stand — to bear
  9. press — newspapers
  10. suit — to fit
  11. row — to paddle
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. press — to push
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stand — for spectators

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