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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · press · pit · bound · kick · chip

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. press — to push
  5. bound — obliged
  6. chip — to eat
  7. press — newspapers
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. kick — in football
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pit — a hole
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bound — certain
  18. chip — for betting

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