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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bark — to shout
  4. shower — to wash
  5. saw — the tool
  6. press — to push
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. net — in sport
  10. board — to get on
  11. wound — an injury
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. shower — rain
  17. board — a committee
  18. net — after costs
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. press — a publisher
  23. last — final
  24. net — for catching

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