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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cap — of ice
  6. charge — electricity
  7. press — a publisher
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. root — the cause
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cell — a phone
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. charge — in control
  17. cap — a lid
  18. charge — a price
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. press — newspapers
  21. suit — in cards
  22. root — of a word
  23. suit — to fit
  24. press — to push

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