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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. object — an aim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. object — a thing
  6. roll — a cake
  7. press — to push
  8. ground — the earth
  9. object — to protest
  10. roll — a list
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. net — after costs
  15. ground — a position
  16. craft — boats
  17. net — for catching
  18. craft — a skill
  19. press — a publisher
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ground — crushed
  23. net — in sport
  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