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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bore — to tire
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bore — to drill
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. board — to get on
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. press — to push
  20. tear — to rip
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tear — from crying
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mark — a grade

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