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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bear — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. drill — army training
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. drill — the tool
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — help
  9. current — electric
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. current — happening now
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cue — a signal
  21. current — of water
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mine — for digging

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