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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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. press — a publisher
  4. sharp — clever
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bark — to shout
  7. staff — employees
  8. pop — soda
  9. press — to push
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. deal — to handle
  12. staff — employees
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pop — music
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pop — to visit

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