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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 124 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — the season
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — there
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. present — the time now
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. press — newspapers
  17. present — a gift
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. spring — a coil
  23. press — to push
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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