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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. firm — decided
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rush — hurry
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. firm — steady
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bark — to shout
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mark — a grade
  18. firm — a company
  19. stem — to come from
  20. game — a match
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stem — a stem cell

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