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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. field — farmland
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rule — a law
  5. press — newspapers
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — to be able to
  8. field — for sport
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. can — a tin
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pop — music
  19. field — a subject
  20. can — a tin
  21. pop — soda
  22. rule — government
  23. press — to push
  24. bear — the animal

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