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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. ground — the earth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. press — newspapers
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — a tin
  21. press — to push
  22. can — a tin
  23. ground — a position
  24. rest — a break

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