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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. press — a publisher
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rash — a series
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rash — hasty
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. press — to push

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