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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a great time
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mate — to breed
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mate — a friend
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. ball — a dance
  13. press — newspapers
  14. can — a tin
  15. board — a committee
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mate — a partner
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. lean — thin
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. board — a flat piece

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