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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: rule · mug · bark · track · press · calf · bulb · bowl

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. track — a song
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rule — a law
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bulb — for light
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — government
  18. press — a publisher
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mug — to rob
  24. press — to push

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