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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. craft — boats
  9. press — to push
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. craft — a skill
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. plane — a tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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