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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — to push
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bark — to shout
  11. press — newspapers
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pound — a weight
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bear — the animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. rest — a break

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