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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. press — a publisher
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. spring — the season
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. press — to push
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. capital — money
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spring — a coil
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. spring — of water
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. capital — a city
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. capital — a big letter

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