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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spell — magic
  3. craft — boats
  4. mate — a partner
  5. spell — a short time
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. lean — to bend
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spell — letters
  14. rash — a series
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. craft — a skill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chair — a leader
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lean — thin
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rash — hasty

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