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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. field — for sport
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bear — the animal
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rest — a break
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cap — a hat
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. field — farmland
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bear — the animal
  14. field — a subject
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. craft — boats
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. press — to push
  19. rest — what's left
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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