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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. chip — to eat
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pitch — completely
  14. chip — for betting
  15. press — to push
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. kick — in football
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young animal

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