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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stock — goods
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — clothes
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — in control
  14. press — to push
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — a price
  24. calf — a young 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