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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 124 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. press — to push
  8. rock — music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. press — a publisher
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bound — certain
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. press — newspapers
  20. season — of the year
  21. bark — to shout
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. season — in sport
  24. bound — obliged

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