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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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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: tube · press · wound · leaves · can · bark · current · saw

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. saw — the tool
  6. current — of water
  7. press — a publisher
  8. saw — the tool
  9. press — to push
  10. can — a tin
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. current — electric
  15. can — to be able to
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. can — a tin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. current — happening now
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. leaves — 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