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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. craft — boats
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cue — a signal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. press — to push
  13. wound — an injury
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. press — a publisher
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bark — to shout
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wound — an injury

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