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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mark — a trace
  3. press — to push
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. press — a publisher
  7. field — for sport
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mark — a grade
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. craft — a skill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rock — music
  15. field — farmland
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. field — a subject
  19. press — newspapers
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. temple — a place of worship

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