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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a committee
  3. file — a line of people
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. snap — to click
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. press — newspapers
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. file — a document
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. board — to get on
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. press — a publisher
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pop — to visit
  20. press — to push
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. mouse — the 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