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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ground — the earth
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. can — to be able to
  8. craft — a skill
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. firm — a company
  11. press — newspapers
  12. ground — crushed
  13. firm — steady
  14. craft — boats
  15. chest — a box
  16. key — the most important part
  17. press — a publisher
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ground — a position
  21. can — a tin
  22. press — to push
  23. key — in music
  24. firm — decided

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