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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. charge — in control
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. press — a publisher
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. net — after costs
  17. charge — a price
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — to wash
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. calf — a young animal

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