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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 120 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. staff — a stick
  10. track — a path
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. fork — in a road
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a round shape

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