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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cap — a hat
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. dip — to sink
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. press — to push
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. charge — a price
  12. roll — a list
  13. press — newspapers
  14. charge — electricity
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. charge — in control
  17. bore — to tire
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. cap — a lid
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cap — of ice
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bore — to drill
  24. racket — for tennis

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