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

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rush — hurry
  6. saw — the tool
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. craft — boats
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. snap — to click
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. dip — to sink
  17. press — to push
  18. can — a tin
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. craft — a skill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. can — to be able to
  24. press — newspapers

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