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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. press — a publisher
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — electric
  7. press — to push
  8. craft — a skill
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. ground — a position
  12. bound — tied together
  13. capital — a city
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — certain
  16. current — of water
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. ground — the earth
  21. press — newspapers
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. capital — money
  24. bound — obliged

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