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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. face — part of the head
  3. press — a publisher
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mug — a face
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. club — for golf
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. fork — in a road
  13. toast — bread
  14. mug — to rob
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bark — to shout
  19. club — a group
  20. face — to confront
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fork — a garden tool

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