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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. scale — in music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. scale — size or range
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. chip — for betting
  9. prune — to trim
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. press — a publisher
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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