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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. drill — the tool
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. craft — boats
  5. present — a gift
  6. press — newspapers
  7. spring — of water
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. spring — the season
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bank — for money
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — army training
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. present — the time now
  18. spring — a coil
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. press — to push
  22. present — there
  23. bank — for money
  24. press — a publisher

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