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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. last — finally
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wind — moving air
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. press — to push
  10. press — newspapers
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wind — moving air
  13. last — to go on
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lean — to bend
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. last — final
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lean — thin

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