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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. current — of water
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. press — a publisher
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. current — happening now
  9. press — newspapers
  10. perch — the fish
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. current — electric
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. press — to push
  16. board — a committee
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — to get on
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bark — to shout
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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