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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mate — a friend
  5. press — newspapers
  6. file — a tool
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. charge — a price
  10. mate — a partner
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. root — the cause
  15. file — a document
  16. craft — boats
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ball — a dance
  20. root — of a word
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. charge — in control
  24. ball — a great time

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