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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 116 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. spring — of water
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spring — a coil
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ground — crushed
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. press — newspapers
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. press — a publisher
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. face — to point toward
  17. press — to push
  18. can — a tin
  19. spring — the season
  20. perch — the fish
  21. face — to confront
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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