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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bore — to drill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pop — soda
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. charge — in control
  15. stock — shares
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stock — goods
  18. charge — a price
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wake — a trail

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