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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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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. lean — thin
  9. content — happy
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cap — of ice
  14. content — the amount
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a lid
  18. drill — a practice
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lean — to bend
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bank — for money
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bark — of a tree

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