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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. craft — boats
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fine — high quality
  8. press — to push
  9. bark — to shout
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fall — to drop
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fall — the season
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fine — all right
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. plane — a tool

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