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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: rush · deal · bulb · sharp · kid · press · calf · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bulb — for light
  7. press — a publisher
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. press — to push
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kid — child
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. kid — to tease
  24. rush — to hurry

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