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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. press — newspapers
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bat — the animal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. tube — a container
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mate — a friend
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rock — a stone
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. rock — music
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. face — to confront

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