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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. season — of the year
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bark — to shout
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. season — in sport
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mine — for digging
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. dip — to sink

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