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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.

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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: temple · plane · calf · race · suit · wave · cap · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. press — to push
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. press — newspapers
  7. race — a contest
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. race — the arms race
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — clothes
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — humankind
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cap — a lid
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cap — of ice
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cap — a hat

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