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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. press — newspapers
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. current — happening now
  7. object — an aim
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. current — electric
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fall — to drop
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fall — the season
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. wound — an injury
  20. current — of water
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fall — to drop
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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