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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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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 · stick · perch · calf · land · press · present · fall

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. press — to push
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. land — to come down
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. press — a publisher
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. land — a country
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pass — a permit
  18. present — the time now
  19. fall — the season
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. present — a gift
  22. press — newspapers
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. land — ground

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