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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rush — hurry
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. ball — a great time
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cell — a phone
  17. press — to push
  18. cell — in biology
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wake — a trail
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. press — a publisher
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — to eat

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