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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. spring — of water
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. chip — to eat
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — a coil
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. press — a publisher
  19. drill — the tool
  20. press — to push
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rest — what's left
  24. drill — army training

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