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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 120 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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. field — farmland
  3. press — to push
  4. object — to protest
  5. bore — to drill
  6. field — for sport
  7. lean — thin
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. band — a music group
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. band — a ring
  15. object — a thing
  16. field — a subject
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. object — an aim
  22. lean — to bend
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. press — a publisher

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