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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ground — a position
  4. ball — a great time
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. press — a publisher
  9. craft — boats
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. press — to push
  14. season — of the year
  15. can — a tin
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ball — a dance

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