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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. press — a publisher
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — newspapers
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. press — to push
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. snap — to click
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pitch — completely

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