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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. press — to push
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. hand — help
  8. press — newspapers
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. bass — low music
  12. cell — in biology
  13. press — a publisher
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bass — the fish

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