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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. current — electric
  3. press — newspapers
  4. present — there
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — the time now
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. press — to push
  11. shower — rain
  12. current — of water
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. shower — to wash
  17. present — a gift
  18. mark — a grade
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. press — a publisher
  23. current — happening now
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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