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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. bark — to shout
  2. press — to push
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. root — of a word
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rest — a break
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. saw — the tool
  12. root — of a plant
  13. object — a thing
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rest — what's left
  17. root — the cause
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. press — newspapers
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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