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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 116 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. row — a line
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. press — a publisher
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bank — for money
  15. row — to paddle
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bank — of a river
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pop — soda
  23. cap — a lid
  24. snap — to click

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