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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. press — newspapers
  3. kid — child
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — magic
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — humankind
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pop — soda
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. race — the arms race
  16. press — to push
  17. pop — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. race — a contest
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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