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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  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. season — to add flavour
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cap — a hat
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. press — newspapers
  10. tear — from crying
  11. cap — of ice
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. craft — boats
  14. cap — a lid
  15. season — of the year
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — in sport
  19. press — to push
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. craft — a skill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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