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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mate — a friend
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — a partner
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. press — to push
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — soda
  16. mate — to breed
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — thin
  19. press — a publisher
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lean — to bend

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