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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 116 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. spell — letters
  6. net — for catching
  7. press — a publisher
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. press — to push
  12. spell — magic
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — in sport
  15. charge — a price
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. charge — electricity

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