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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. press — a publisher
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. file — a line of people
  6. dip — to sink
  7. game — a match
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. file — a tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. file — a document

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