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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rock — a stone
  4. press — to push
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rock — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mate — to breed
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wound — an injury
  24. press — a publisher

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