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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. craft — boats
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. degree — temperature
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. press — newspapers
  11. perch — the fish
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. craft — a skill
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. squash — the sport
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. degree — from a university
  23. press — to push
  24. craft — a handicraft

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