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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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468
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: pop · bear · drill · press · cell · rock · craft · foot

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bear — the animal
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pop — soda
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pop — music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. drill — army training
  18. pop — to visit
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rock — a stone

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