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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. drill — the tool
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bank — of a river
  7. press — to push
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. drill — a practice
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. track — to keep track
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. track — a path
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. track — a song
  18. drill — army training
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bank — for money
  24. press — newspapers

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