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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rock — a stone
  4. craft — a skill
  5. land — a country
  6. band — a ring
  7. craft — boats
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. press — to push
  14. ground — a position
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rock — music
  17. season — of the year
  18. band — a music group
  19. ground — crushed
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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