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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. press — to push
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. press — a publisher
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mine — for digging
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bear — to put up with

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