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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. land — ground
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. press — newspapers
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. land — to come down
  8. rule — a law
  9. firm — steady
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. charge — a price
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pop — music
  16. press — to push
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pop — soda
  20. rule — government
  21. land — a country
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. bore — to drill

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