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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: pitcher · press · ruler · bark · game · perch · pop · rest

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rest — a break
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pop — music
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pop — soda
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — a publisher
  22. game — a match
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pitcher — a jug

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