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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 116 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: craft · press · fork · field · bear · pass · leaves · firm

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. press — a publisher
  3. firm — decided
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. craft — boats
  7. fork — in a road
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. field — a subject
  12. bear — the animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. field — farmland
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. press — to push
  18. field — for sport
  19. pass — a permit
  20. press — newspapers
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. firm — steady

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