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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — to push
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. club — for golf
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — in football
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. press — a publisher
  17. sharp — clever
  18. club — a group
  19. press — newspapers
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bark — to shout

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