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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: row · prune · hand · bat · land · press · calf · charge

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. land — a country
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. hand — in cards
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. charge — in control
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. row — to paddle
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. press — to push
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. prune — to trim
  20. press — newspapers
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. row — a line
  24. hand — help

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