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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. drill — army training
  4. press — to push
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. season — of the year
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. tube — a container
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. staff — employees
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pitch — completely
  17. staff — employees
  18. drill — a practice
  19. tube — the underground
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. season — in sport

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