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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. press — to push
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. present — there
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. present — the time now
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. spell — magic
  11. present — a gift
  12. fall — the season
  13. craft — a skill
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. spell — letters
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. craft — boats
  22. spell — a short time
  23. fall — to drop
  24. dip — to sink

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