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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: cabinet · bark · can · press · race · toast · rule · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. race — a contest
  8. toast — bread
  9. rule — government
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. can — a tin
  14. rule — a law
  15. race — the arms race
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. content — the amount
  18. race — humankind
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. press — to push
  23. content — happy
  24. bark — to shout

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