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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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. press — newspapers
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. file — a tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. press — a publisher
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. press — to push
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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