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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. clip — for paper
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fine — high quality
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. saw — the tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. press — to push
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fine — a penalty

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