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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. present — there
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. press — a publisher
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. present — the time now
  12. press — to push
  13. stem — to come from
  14. saw — the tool
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. craft — boats
  17. court — of a king
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. toast — bread
  20. present — a gift
  21. press — newspapers
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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