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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. track — a path
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. press — newspapers
  8. object — to protest
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fall — the season
  12. press — a publisher
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. object — an aim
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. track — a song
  20. press — to push
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — to keep track
  23. object — a thing
  24. calf — of the leg

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