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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. press — to push
  3. tube — a container
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cell — a phone
  6. rule — a law
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cell — in biology
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. tube — the underground
  12. can — a tin
  13. lie — to recline
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. can — to be able to
  16. key — in music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — a tin
  20. rule — government
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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