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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. squash — to crush
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the sport
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pit — a hole
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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