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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: rule · calf · press · wave · hand · march · track · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. march — music
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. march — the month
  9. track — a path
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rule — a law
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hand — in cards
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. march — the month
  18. rule — government
  19. track — a song
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rule — to rule out

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