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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ruler · rock · squash · bark · press · leaves · bowl · wave

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. press — a publisher
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rock — music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rock — a stone
  13. squash — to crush
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. leaves — to go away

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