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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: fine · cold · kick · bound · press · roll · club · calf

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. club — a group
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. kick — in football
  8. club — for golf
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cold — an illness
  14. roll — a list
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bound — certain
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. roll — a cake
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cold — not warm

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