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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. press — newspapers
  3. band — a ring
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. band — a music group
  11. charge — electricity
  12. content — the amount
  13. present — there
  14. stock — goods
  15. present — the time now
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. present — a gift
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stock — shares
  23. content — happy
  24. band — a rubber band

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