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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. press — to push
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bound — certain
  15. bank — for money
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bass — low music
  22. bank — for money
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. press — newspapers

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