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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mark — a trace
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chair — a leader
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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