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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mine · bound · firm · rule · calf · press · chair · cell

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cell — a phone
  4. rule — a law
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bound — obliged
  7. firm — a company
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cell — in biology
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mine — for digging
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. firm — decided
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. press — to push
  21. rule — government
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. firm — steady

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