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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. drill — army training
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mark — a grade
  10. press — to push
  11. stock — shares
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stock — goods
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. drill — a practice
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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