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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. press — to push
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. root — the cause
  10. press — a publisher
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. root — of a word
  15. stock — goods
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pit — a hole
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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