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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: present · perch · fine · kick · chip · lean · last · press

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. press — newspapers
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lean — thin
  9. perch — the fish
  10. last — to go on
  11. press — a publisher
  12. last — final
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. press — to push
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. last — finally
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lean — to bend

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