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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. chest — a box
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cold — an illness
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. chest — of your body
  7. press — a publisher
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cue — for pool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cold — not warm
  20. cue — a hint
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cue — a signal

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