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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. root — of a word
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. press — to push
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bat — the animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. press — newspapers
  15. root — the cause
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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