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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 116 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. firm — steady
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — a video
  6. scale — in music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wound — an injury
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. firm — a company
  11. press — to push
  12. scale — size or range
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. clip — for paper
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. saw — the tool
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — decided

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