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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. field — farmland
  5. press — newspapers
  6. craft — a skill
  7. current — of water
  8. press — to push
  9. craft — boats
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. current — electric
  12. field — a subject
  13. drill — the tool
  14. capital — a city
  15. bear — the animal
  16. field — for sport
  17. current — happening now
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. capital — money

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