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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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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 · saw · track · press · spell · cabinet · can · kick

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. press — to push
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. spell — letters
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. spell — magic
  18. track — a song
  19. spell — a short time
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. press — newspapers
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — in football

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