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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stand — to bear
  3. staff — employees
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. file — a document
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. press — to push
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. track — a song
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. staff — employees
  18. file — a tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. press — a publisher
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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