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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cell — in biology
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. hand — help
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cell — a phone
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. hand — in cards
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. squash — the sport
  21. press — a publisher
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — a leader
  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