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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — for betting
  5. press — newspapers
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. craft — a skill
  8. press — to push
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. craft — boats
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. prune — the fruit

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