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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — a song
  3. net — after costs
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. press — newspapers
  6. tear — to rip
  7. toast — bread
  8. press — to push
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. tear — from crying
  12. board — to get on
  13. bark — to shout
  14. track — to keep track
  15. tear — from crying
  16. net — for catching
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. track — a path
  19. board — a committee
  20. pitch — completely
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. press — a publisher

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