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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. press — to push
  3. swing — music
  4. press — newspapers
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. swing — to play on
  8. scale — in music
  9. rock — music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. rock — a stone
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. swing — in golf
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cell — in biology
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. calf — of the leg

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