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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mate — to breed
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — to push
  10. press — newspapers
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. cabinet — ministers

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