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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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 — a group
  3. wound — an injury
  4. club — for golf
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. object — a thing
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. press — to push
  14. object — an aim
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. object — to protest
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bark — to shout

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