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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. saw — the tool
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rash — hasty
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. firm — a company
  9. pop — music
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. capital — a city
  13. rash — a series
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. capital — money
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pop — soda
  21. firm — decided
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pop — to visit

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