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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. key — in music
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. scale — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. press — to push
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. saw — the tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pitcher — a jug

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