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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. press — a publisher
  3. dip — to sink
  4. press — to push
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. face — to point toward
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. face — to confront
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. perch — the fish
  16. press — newspapers
  17. face — part of the head
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — in sport
  24. bark — to shout

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