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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. press — to push
  3. hand — in cards
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hand — help
  7. press — newspapers
  8. court — of a king
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. suit — clothes
  14. court — for sport
  15. dip — to sink
  16. suit — to fit
  17. roll — a cake
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. court — of law
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. roll — a list
  24. calf — a young animal

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