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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ball — a dance
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. press — newspapers
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. press — to push
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. sharp — clever

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