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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. tear — from crying
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. tear — from crying
  5. board — a committee
  6. tear — to rip
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. object — an aim
  9. rock — a stone
  10. object — to protest
  11. rock — music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. press — a publisher
  21. object — a thing
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bowl — a football final
  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