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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. roll — a cake
  5. tube — the underground
  6. present — there
  7. tube — a container
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. present — the time now
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. roll — a list
  12. press — to push
  13. present — a gift
  14. press — newspapers
  15. foot — a measure
  16. press — a publisher
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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