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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. cap — of ice
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. press — to push
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cap — a hat
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. clip — a video

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