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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. firm — decided
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. press — a publisher
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cold — an illness
  9. suit — in cards
  10. field — farmland
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. press — to push
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. firm — steady
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cold — not warm
  23. suit — to fit
  24. face — part of the head

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