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

Word bank: leaves · craft · season · chip · press · hide · pitcher · bound

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bound — tied together
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bound — obliged
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. press — to push
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. season — in sport
  18. bound — certain
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. craft — a skill
  24. season — of the year

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