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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. press — newspapers
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. prune — to trim
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. press — to push
  11. suit — clothes
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rest — a break
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — music
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rock — a stone
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. suit — in cards

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