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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. press — to push
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. craft — boats
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. press — newspapers
  15. spring — of water
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. press — a publisher
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. nail — on a finger

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