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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pop — music
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — there
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pop — soda
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — a stone
  18. root — of a plant
  19. present — the time now
  20. rush — hurry
  21. root — of a word
  22. rock — music
  23. root — the cause
  24. pop — to visit

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