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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lean — thin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. press — to push
  10. can — a tin
  11. firm — a company
  12. chip — to eat
  13. can — a tin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — decided
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lean — to bend
  18. press — a publisher
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. firm — steady
  23. ball — a dance
  24. chip — for betting

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