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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: press · cabinet · calf · rest · pitch · bear · cue · lash

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — a break
  3. press — to push
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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