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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chest — a box
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. press — to push
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fork — in a road
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — newspapers
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. chest — of your body
  21. suit — in cards
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chest — of your body

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