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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. press — newspapers
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. spring — the season
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — clothes
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. suit — in cards
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — to fit
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bark — to shout
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. press — a publisher
  18. foot — a measure
  19. press — to push
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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