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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 120 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: cap · press · object · pound · bat · calf · game · fork

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bat — the animal
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fork — in a road
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. game — a match
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. press — to push
  18. game — wild animals
  19. press — a publisher
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. pound — to hit hard

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