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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 116 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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. pop — soda
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bank — for money
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — to push
  13. pop — to visit
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pop — music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bark — to shout

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