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

Word bank: kick · calf · last · chip · press · bay · cell · can

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. press — to push
  4. last — to go on
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. last — final
  13. can — a tin
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. can — a tin
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. last — finally
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. chip — to eat
  22. kick — in football
  23. chip — for betting
  24. cell — in biology

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