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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. press — to push
  5. net — after costs
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bark — to shout
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. staff — employees
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. staff — a stick
  14. present — a gift
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. present — there
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. net — in sport
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. press — newspapers
  23. net — for catching
  24. present — the time now

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