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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. snap — to click
  3. bark — to shout
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. present — a gift
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. press — a publisher
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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