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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. press — to push
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. file — a document
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. file — a tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. file — a line of people
  18. cap — of ice
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. drill — army training
  22. chair — a leader
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — the 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