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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. press — to push
  4. staff — employees
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. staff — employees
  11. stem — to come from
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. sharp — clever
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rush — hurry

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