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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. press — to push
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. net — after costs
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. file — a tool
  12. net — in sport
  13. bark — to shout
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. press — a publisher
  17. file — a line of people
  18. press — newspapers
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. file — a document
  22. lie — to recline
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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