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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. press — a publisher
  4. staff — employees
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. present — the time now
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — in a race
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. present — there
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rest — a break
  16. kid — child
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — a stick
  19. press — to push
  20. staff — employees
  21. kid — to tease
  22. present — a gift
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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