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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pass — a permit
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spell — letters
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pop — soda
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pop — music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spell — magic
  22. press — to push
  23. pop — to visit
  24. march — the month

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