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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. plane — a tool
  2. file — a tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rash — a series
  10. pop — soda
  11. file — a document
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. file — a line of people
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. press — newspapers
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rash — hasty
  21. kick — in football
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. press — to push
  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