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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spring — of water
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cue — for pool
  16. spring — the season
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pit — a hole
  24. press — newspapers

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