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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. clip — to cut
  4. rock — music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. press — newspapers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bore — to tire
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. press — to push
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. clip — a video

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