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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bark — to shout
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. mate — to breed
  6. degree — temperature
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. degree — from a university
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — to fit
  22. press — newspapers
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rash — hasty

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