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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chest — a box
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. press — to push
  12. bore — to tire
  13. press — a publisher
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bark — to shout
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chest — of your body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bore — to drill
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chest — of your body

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