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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. press — a publisher
  4. spell — letters
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spell — magic
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — to push
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. court — of law
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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