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

Word bank: bay · pitcher · cap · leaves · tear · swing · calf · press

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cap — a lid
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. swing — to play on
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. swing — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. swing — in golf
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. tear — to rip
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. press — to push
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bay — a horse colour

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