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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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. tube — the underground
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. swing — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. press — to push
  9. bark — to shout
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stand — to bear
  18. swing — in golf
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — a container
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stand — on your feet

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