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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — tied together
  6. file — a line of people
  7. race — the arms race
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — a partner
  10. face — to confront
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bound — obliged
  13. file — a tool
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mate — a friend
  17. race — a contest
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bound — certain
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mate — to breed
  23. file — a document
  24. race — humankind

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