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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. press — a publisher
  3. tear — from crying
  4. face — to confront
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. tear — to rip
  7. face — part of the head
  8. press — to push
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. staff — employees
  11. press — newspapers
  12. face — to point toward
  13. staff — employees
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stock — goods
  17. staff — a stick
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stock — shares
  22. craft — boats
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bank — for money

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