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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 · suit · bear · bay · mine · kick · craft · trunk

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. suit — in cards
  6. press — a publisher
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mine — for digging
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. craft — boats
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. press — to push
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. suit — clothes
  24. kick — in football

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