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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. board — a committee
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. press — newspapers
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tube — the underground
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. board — a flat piece

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