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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cap — a hat
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mug — a face
  14. sharp — clever
  15. press — to push
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mate — a partner
  22. cap — of ice
  23. press — a publisher
  24. cap — a lid

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