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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 120 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mate — a friend
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. spring — a coil
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. press — a publisher
  11. spring — of water
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. tube — the underground
  16. spring — the season
  17. mate — to breed
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mate — a partner
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. tube — a container
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. press — to push

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