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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 116 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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. press — to push
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stem — to come from
  7. last — final
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wax — to grow
  11. current — happening now
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. last — to go on
  14. current — electric
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. last — finally
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. press — a publisher
  23. shower — rain
  24. current — of water

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