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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a line of people
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. file — a document
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. charge — electricity
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — a price
  18. press — a publisher
  19. face — to confront
  20. charge — in control
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. file — a tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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