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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. field — for sport
  3. wind — moving air
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — clothes
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bass — low music
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bass — the fish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. field — farmland
  21. wind — moving air
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. field — a subject
  24. bear — the animal

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