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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. game — a match
  3. suit — to fit
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. press — a publisher
  7. suit — clothes
  8. prune — to trim
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. prune — to trim
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mark — a trace
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. press — to push
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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