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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. spring — the season
  4. press — newspapers
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. craft — a skill
  13. spring — a coil
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. spring — of water
  17. rule — a law
  18. press — to push
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bear — the animal
  21. key — in music
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rule — government
  24. chip — to eat

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