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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. season — of the year
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. drill — a practice
  17. scale — size or range
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. season — in sport
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bark — to shout
  24. drill — army training

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