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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. saw — the tool
  3. current — of water
  4. rest — a break
  5. saw — the tool
  6. press — newspapers
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. band — a ring
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. band — a music group
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. current — happening now
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. current — electric
  22. spring — the season
  23. press — to push
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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