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

Word bank: kick · bark · ruler · cue · pop · dip · press · wind

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. cue — for pool
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kick — in football
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pop — music
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ruler — for measuring

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