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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. march — music
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. present — there
  9. march — the month
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. saw — the tool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. present — a gift
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rock — music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. present — the time now
  23. march — the month
  24. saw — the 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