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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: club · press · mouse · bark · fine · kick · band · fall

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. press — newspapers
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fall — the season
  8. press — a publisher
  9. band — a music group
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — to push
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fine — all right
  20. fall — to drop
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. club — for dancing
  23. kick — in football
  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