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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. press — to push
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. press — a publisher
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fall — the season
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. press — newspapers
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bark — to shout
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — in cards

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