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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 120 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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. present — there
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. present — the time now
  19. bear — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. present — a gift
  24. stem — to come from

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