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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. press — a publisher
  3. club — for golf
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. court — of a king
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. club — for dancing
  14. press — to push
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. club — a group
  19. roll — a cake
  20. press — newspapers
  21. roll — a list
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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