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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. last — to go on
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. last — final
  8. charge — a price
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. press — to push
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mine — for digging
  23. last — finally
  24. charge — in control

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