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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mug — a face
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mark — a trace
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mug — a cup
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. press — to push
  10. stem — to come from
  11. mug — to rob
  12. content — happy
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. content — the amount
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bound — tied together
  18. craft — boats
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mark — a grade
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bound — certain
  24. mark — to pay attention

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