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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rock — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. tear — to rip
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. press — a publisher
  16. last — final
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. last — finally
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. last — to go on
  24. cue — a signal

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