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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: can · wake · bay · fall · bark · press · nail · firm

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bark — to shout
  8. fall — to drop
  9. can — a tin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — newspapers
  12. firm — a company
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. can — a tin
  19. firm — steady
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. firm — decided
  23. fall — the season
  24. bark — of a tree

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