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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. cold — an illness
  3. can — to be able to
  4. press — to push
  5. cold — not warm
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. craft — boats
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. can — a tin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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