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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. field — a subject
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. field — farmland
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. staff — employees
  10. press — to push
  11. field — for sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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