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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. current — electric
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — to get on
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bat — the animal
  14. press — to push
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bore — to tire
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — gave birth

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