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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · bore · bay · bark · snap · press · stick · fan

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. press — to push
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. press — newspapers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. fan — a supporter

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