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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bark — to shout
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. clip — a video
  9. pound — a weight
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. tube — a container
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. press — to push
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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