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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. saw — the tool
  4. press — a publisher
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — to push
  7. suit — clothes
  8. press — newspapers
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bark — to shout
  11. suit — to fit
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rule — a law
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. swing — music
  16. rule — government
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. swing — to play on
  23. date — the fruit
  24. suit — in cards

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