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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. chair — a leader
  7. press — a publisher
  8. ball — a dance
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. drill — the tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mate — a partner
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. press — to push
  20. pop — to visit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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