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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ground — crushed
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. press — to push
  9. ground — the earth
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mark — a trace
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mark — a grade
  14. track — a song
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bank — for money
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — to keep track
  22. ground — a position
  23. track — a path
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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