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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wind — moving air
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ground — the earth
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — a trail
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. bank — of a river
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bank — for money
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. press — a publisher
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. firm — a company
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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