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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. press — a publisher
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cap — a hat
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. charge — a price
  9. press — newspapers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. press — to push
  12. present — a gift
  13. row — a line
  14. staff — employees
  15. face — part of the head
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. row — to paddle
  19. charge — in control
  20. face — to confront
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. cap — a lid
  24. staff — employees

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