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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. press — to push
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. sharp — clever
  8. branch — a division
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. content — happy
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. press — newspapers
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. press — a publisher
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. dip — to sink
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. sharp — with an edge

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