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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mug — a cup
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. plane — a tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mug — to rob
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mug — a face
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. press — newspapers
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. press — to push
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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