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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. press — newspapers
  4. present — there
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. press — a publisher
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. clip — for paper
  10. suit — in cards
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. clip — to cut
  13. deal — to handle
  14. suit — to fit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. present — a gift
  17. clip — a video
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. present — the time now
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bark — to shout
  22. suit — clothes
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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