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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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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bark — to shout
  7. game — wild animals
  8. press — a publisher
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. game — a match
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. tube — the underground
  18. key — for a lock
  19. tube — a container
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. key — in music
  24. tube — in a tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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