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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. press — newspapers
  2. bear — the animal
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. craft — a skill
  6. tear — from crying
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. tear — to rip
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. press — to push
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. craft — boats
  23. ball — a great time
  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