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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. can — a tin
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. court — of a king
  6. press — to push
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. can — to be able to
  12. court — of law
  13. can — a tin
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. press — a publisher
  16. firm — decided
  17. staff — a stick
  18. court — for sport
  19. bank — for money
  20. press — newspapers
  21. firm — a company
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bark — to shout
  24. firm — steady

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