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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 116 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. press — a publisher
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pound — a weight
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — to push
  24. bear — to put up with

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