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

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. stem — of a plant
  2. bank — for money
  3. press — to push
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pitch — completely
  8. snap — to click
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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