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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bark — to shout
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mark — a trace
  13. game — wild animals
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rest — a break
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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