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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. press — to push
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — boats
  5. file — a document
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stock — shares
  11. press — newspapers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. file — a tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. press — a publisher

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