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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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468
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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. press — to push
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. march — the month
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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