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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. press — newspapers
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — boats
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. present — there
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. press — to push
  11. craft — a skill
  12. board — a committee
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. shower — rain
  15. present — a gift
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lie — to recline
  21. press — a publisher
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. shower — to wash

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