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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 120 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. face — to point toward
  3. suit — to fit
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mate — a partner
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. face — to confront
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. face — part of the head
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fork — in a road
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. press — a publisher

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