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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bass — the fish
  4. root — of a word
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — a tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. current — of water
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. current — electric
  13. root — the cause
  14. press — newspapers
  15. lean — to bend
  16. craft — a skill
  17. root — of a plant
  18. press — to push
  19. current — happening now
  20. bass — low music
  21. lean — thin
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. plane — in geometry

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