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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: tube · cabinet · march · safe · pop · press · fan · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. press — to push
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. march — the month
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. press — newspapers
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pop — soda
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pop — music
  18. march — music
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pop — to visit
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fan — to cool the air

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