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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ground — crushed
  5. tube — a container
  6. ground — a position
  7. row — to paddle
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. row — a line
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. chest — a box
  16. tube — the underground
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. press — newspapers
  24. suit — in cards

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