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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. tear — to rip
  3. craft — a skill
  4. press — newspapers
  5. swing — in golf
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mate — to breed
  8. press — to push
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. swing — music
  11. band — a music group
  12. mate — a friend
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — boats
  15. swing — to play on
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. tear — from crying
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mate — a partner
  21. band — a ring
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. jam — a tight spot

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