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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. band — a ring
  4. staff — employees
  5. bear — the animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rest — what's left
  9. press — to push
  10. wound — an injury
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. press — a publisher
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. toast — bread
  15. band — a music group
  16. staff — employees
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rest — what's left
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. rest — a break
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bear — the animal

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