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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pop — music
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. drill — army training
  12. rock — music
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pop — soda
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. object — a thing
  21. pop — to visit
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rock — a stone

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