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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wound — an injury
  13. squash — the sport
  14. hand — help
  15. staff — a stick
  16. game — a match
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. press — to push
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. press — a publisher

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