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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wound — an injury
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. press — to push
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cell — a phone
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fine — all right
  21. press — newspapers
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — in a prison

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