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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. object — an aim
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. press — to push
  8. bass — the fish
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. perch — the fish
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pitch — completely
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bass — low music
  18. present — the time now
  19. press — newspapers
  20. object — to protest
  21. present — a gift
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. present — there

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