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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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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. press — to push
  4. mug — a face
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bark — to shout
  8. degree — an amount
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. press — a publisher
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mug — to rob
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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