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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. roll — a cake
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. press — newspapers
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mate — a partner
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. press — to push
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fine — all right
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. roll — a list
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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