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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. staff — employees
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mug — to rob
  5. track — a path
  6. plane — a tool
  7. track — a song
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. mug — a cup
  11. track — to keep track
  12. kid — child
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. press — to push
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. mug — a face
  20. bark — to shout
  21. press — a publisher
  22. kid — to tease
  23. staff — a stick
  24. plane — in geometry

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