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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · craft · deal · rest · press · bore

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. deal — an agreement

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