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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 120 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: mug · bark · rash · leaves · press · saw · club · bound

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. club — for golf
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mug — to rob
  11. club — a group
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. club — for dancing
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — to push
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rash — a series

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