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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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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: pass · mouse · hand · spell · spring · calf · pop · press

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. spell — magic
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spring — a coil
  6. hand — in cards
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. pop — music
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — to push
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. press — newspapers
  18. spell — letters
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. hand — help
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hand — part of the body
  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