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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 116 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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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: present · leaves · wound · press · rest · bark · wave · board

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. press — a publisher
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. press — newspapers
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rest — a break
  11. board — a committee
  12. press — to push
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bark — to shout
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — to get on
  22. present — a gift
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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