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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bark — to shout
  11. rock — a stone
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stock — shares
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. press — to push
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. tube — a container
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stock — goods

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