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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 124 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rock — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. press — a publisher
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — in football
  14. present — the time now
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. press — to push
  18. fork — in a road
  19. present — there
  20. press — newspapers
  21. suit — to fit
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fork — a garden tool

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