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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.

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: press · fall · bear · calf · track · bore · ground · wave

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bear — the animal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. track — a song
  11. fall — the season
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. press — to push
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bore — to drill
  22. track — a path
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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