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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 116 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cell — in biology
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bound — tied together
  8. press — to push
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cell — a phone
  13. land — ground
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — certain
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cue — a signal
  19. land — to come down
  20. cue — a hint
  21. press — a publisher
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bound — obliged

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