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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. press — a publisher
  4. shower — rain
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bark — to shout
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. press — to push
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. shower — to wash
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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