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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — in sport
  5. clip — for paper
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — of the year
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. clip — a video
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. press — newspapers
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. press — to push

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