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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mate — a partner
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. ball — a great time
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. sharp — clever
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ball — a dance
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. calf — of the leg

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