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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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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: bowl · lean · press · mouse · temple · calf · straw · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — to bend
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. press — to push
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. net — after costs
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. net — for catching
  24. press — newspapers

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