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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
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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: firm · stick · dip · calf · ball · trunk · press · toast

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. press — to push
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. firm — decided
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — a publisher
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. toast — bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. firm — steady
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. firm — a company

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