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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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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. court — of law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. press — to push
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. court — of a king
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cap — a hat
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spell — letters
  24. press — newspapers

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