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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. press — newspapers
  3. ball — a great time
  4. press — to push
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. capital — money
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. press — a publisher
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. capital — a city
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mark — a trace

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