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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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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: press · wound · staff · row · mug · calf · bay · ball

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mug — a cup
  8. staff — a stick
  9. press — to push
  10. ball — a great time
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wound — an injury
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. staff — employees
  16. mug — a face
  17. staff — employees
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. row — a line
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mug — to rob
  24. press — a publisher

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