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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stock — shares
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. press — a publisher
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — goods
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. game — wild animals
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. game — a match
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. press — to push
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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