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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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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. scale — in music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. tube — a container
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. march — the month
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. press — to push
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. march — music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bark — to shout
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. march — the month

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