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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. press — a publisher
  5. spell — magic
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. shower — rain
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spell — letters
  17. pass — a permit
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. calf — a young animal

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