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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
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: scale · wave · bark · drill · suit · press · charge · dip

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. drill — army training
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. press — a publisher
  6. scale — in music
  7. drill — a practice
  8. scale — size or range
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. press — newspapers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. press — to push
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. drill — the tool
  24. dip — to sink

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