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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tube — the underground
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. press — a publisher
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. capital — money
  9. craft — a skill
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. craft — boats
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. press — newspapers
  15. chip — to eat
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. capital — a city
  18. press — to push
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tube — a container
  22. dip — to sink
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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