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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. club — for golf
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. press — to push
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bark — to shout
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for dancing
  13. press — newspapers
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. club — a group
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — a publisher
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tube — a container

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