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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mate — a friend
  4. press — newspapers
  5. mate — to breed
  6. object — an aim
  7. last — final
  8. cue — a signal
  9. last — to go on
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — for pool
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. last — finally
  18. object — a thing
  19. spring — the season
  20. cap — of ice
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bark — to shout
  23. press — to push
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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