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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. march — the month
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. fine — all right
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a music group
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pitch — completely
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. march — music
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. march — the month
  21. press — newspapers
  22. band — a ring
  23. fine — high quality
  24. press — to push

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