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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. current — electric
  3. game — a match
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — happening now
  7. press — newspapers
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. current — of water
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. deal — to handle
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. game — wild animals
  21. press — a publisher
  22. chair — a leader
  23. press — to push
  24. toast — bread

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