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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 116 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. field — farmland
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. press — a publisher
  6. field — a subject
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pass — a permit
  12. present — a gift
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. content — the amount
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bark — to shout
  20. content — happy
  21. field — for sport
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. content — videos and posts

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