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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. press — newspapers
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fall — to drop
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — clothes
  13. branch — a division
  14. wound — an injury
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rock — a stone
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. craft — boats
  24. fall — the season

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