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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · game · march · bear · press · calf · perch · spell

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spell — magic
  5. press — to push
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. press — a publisher
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. game — a match
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bear — the animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. march — the month
  20. game — wild animals
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. march — the month
  24. bear — to put up with

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