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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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Word bank
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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 · suit · tube · cold · face · deal · pass

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. tube — a container
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. deal — to handle
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cold — an illness
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. face — to confront
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pass — a permit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cold — not warm

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