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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: press · mate · field · safe · scale · wake · mug · bark

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. press — to push
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. mug — to rob
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mate — to breed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — in music
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — a subject
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mug — a face
  22. press — a publisher
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. field — farmland

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