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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: file · press · roll · mouse · kick · court · calf · mark

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. court — of a king
  3. mark — a trace
  4. file — a line of people
  5. roll — a cake
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. court — for sport
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. roll — a list
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. file — a document
  14. press — newspapers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. court — of law
  24. press — to push

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