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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stand — to bear
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cue — a signal
  20. land — ground
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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