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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. drill — a practice
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. lean — thin
  13. press — a publisher
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. vault — a safe
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. drill — the tool
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. lean — to bend
  23. snap — to click
  24. bark — to shout

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