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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spring — of water
  5. press — a publisher
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. spring — a coil
  10. press — to push
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. saw — the tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. suit — in cards
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. spring — the season
  18. pit — a hole
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pit — in a race
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. suit — to fit

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