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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. charge — a price
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — in control
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. ball — a dance
  12. charge — electricity
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. firm — a company
  18. fork — in a road
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. press — newspapers
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. ball — a great time

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