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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
468
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 · chip · mug · tear · press · season · squash · lean

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chip — for betting
  4. season — in sport
  5. lean — to bend
  6. tear — from crying
  7. season — of the year
  8. press — a publisher
  9. tear — to rip
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lean — thin
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. tear — from crying
  16. squash — the sport
  17. press — to push
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. chip — to eat
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mug — to rob
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. chip — in a computer

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