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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. press — to push
  11. bore — to drill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pop — music
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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