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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: cell · hide · stem · racket · calf · press · pass · bowl

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. press — a publisher
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cell — a phone
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — in biology
  19. stem — to come from
  20. press — to push
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pass — to spend time

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