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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. scale — in music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. ball — a dance
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. face — part of the head
  14. press — to push
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. face — to confront
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. press — a publisher
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. face — to point toward
  22. press — newspapers
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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