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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. tube — a container
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. season — of the year
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. clip — to cut
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bark — to shout
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. press — to push
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. season — in sport
  21. craft — boats
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. press — a publisher

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