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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — farmland
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. content — happy
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cap — a lid
  13. scale — in music
  14. field — a subject
  15. scale — size or range
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cap — of ice
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. press — a publisher
  20. cap — a hat
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. content — the amount
  23. suit — clothes
  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