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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pop — to visit
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rule — a law
  5. can — a tin
  6. pop — soda
  7. press — to push
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. drill — army training
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rule — government
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pop — music
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. drill — a practice
  24. chair — a leader

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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