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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spring — of water
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. press — to push
  12. current — electric
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pit — in a race
  15. current — of water
  16. press — newspapers
  17. spring — the season
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mate — a friend
  21. press — a publisher
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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