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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: press · roll · bear · craft · wind · suit

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. craft — boats
  4. wind — moving air
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bear — the animal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. roll — a list
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. roll — a cake

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