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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 120 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. net — after costs
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. press — a publisher
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. press — newspapers
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. net — in sport
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. press — to push
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. net — for catching

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