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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — in biology
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — to be able to
  7. saw — the tool
  8. press — newspapers
  9. cell — a phone
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. craft — boats
  12. can — a tin
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wind — moving air
  20. can — a tin
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. press — to push
  23. safe — out of danger
  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