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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pop — to visit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rash — a series
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. tube — the underground
  19. press — to push
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. press — a publisher
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pop — music
  24. arm — a part of something

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