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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. face — to point toward
  7. press — newspapers
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bore — to tire
  12. firm — decided
  13. face — to confront
  14. wind — moving air
  15. firm — a company
  16. face — part of the head
  17. press — to push
  18. bore — to drill
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — a young 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