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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. season — of the year
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. bark — to shout
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. press — a publisher
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. season — in sport
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. object — a thing
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. object — to protest
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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