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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. object — an aim
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. object — to protest
  12. present — the time now
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. club — for dancing
  15. present — there
  16. object — a thing
  17. bark — to shout
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. club — a group
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. club — for golf

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