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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. press — to push
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — newspapers
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rest — what's left
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. pop — soda
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. press — a publisher
  14. branch — a division
  15. mate — a friend
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pop — music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rest — a break
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pop — to visit

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