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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. mate — a partner
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. press — newspapers
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. land — a country
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. press — to push
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mate — to breed
  14. board — to get on
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. board — a committee
  18. mate — a friend
  19. craft — boats
  20. pound — a weight
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. bulb — for light
  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