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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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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cell — in biology
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — to push
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. press — a publisher
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cell — a phone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stock — shares
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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