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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. shower — to wash
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — a trail
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bear — the animal
  15. shower — rain
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — to handle
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. press — to push
  20. branch — a division
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wake — before a funeral

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