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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rock — music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. net — after costs
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. net — for catching
  10. rock — a stone
  11. press — to push
  12. club — for golf
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. club — a group
  15. cell — a phone
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. craft — boats
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cell — in biology
  23. press — a publisher
  24. club — for dancing

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