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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. spring — the season
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — boats
  14. press — newspapers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. game — wild animals
  17. spring — of water
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. spring — a coil
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. press — to push
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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