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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. tube — a container
  3. bark — to shout
  4. last — finally
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. face — to point toward
  8. press — to push
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. face — to confront
  11. press — newspapers
  12. staff — employees
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. staff — a stick
  16. court — of a king
  17. staff — employees
  18. last — to go on
  19. fork — in a road
  20. face — part of the head
  21. court — for sport
  22. tube — the underground
  23. last — final
  24. court — of law

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