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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. craft — boats
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. press — newspapers
  5. chest — of your body
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. press — to push
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a skill
  12. deal — to handle
  13. press — a publisher
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. net — in sport
  16. chest — a box
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. net — after costs
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chest — of your body
  23. jam — in traffic
  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