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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. cold — not warm
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. press — newspapers
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. spring — the season
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bank — for money
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — to push
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. spring — of water
  15. bank — for money
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. press — a publisher
  19. cold — an illness
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bowl — a dish

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