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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. snap — to click
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. shower — rain
  8. press — to push
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rush — hurry
  14. can — a tin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. shower — to wash
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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