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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. season — in sport
  8. kid — child
  9. ball — a dance
  10. press — to push
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. kid — to tease
  13. season — of the year
  14. ball — a great time
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. press — newspapers
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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