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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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. press — to push
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lean — thin
  8. fork — in a road
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. board — to get on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. face — to confront
  17. board — a committee
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lean — to bend
  24. press — newspapers

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