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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. tube — the underground
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. firm — steady
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. firm — a company
  8. last — finally
  9. pitch — completely
  10. firm — decided
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. toast — bread
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. press — newspapers
  16. last — to go on
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. press — a publisher
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. press — to push
  22. last — final
  23. tube — a container
  24. lie — to recline

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