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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. press — a publisher
  3. net — after costs
  4. press — to push
  5. mug — to rob
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mug — a face
  14. net — in sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. sharp — clever
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. net — for catching
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rush — hurry

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