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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rest — what's left
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. spell — magic
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rest — a break
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. press — to push
  13. toast — bread
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rest — what's left
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pound — a weight
  19. press — a publisher
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bowl — to roll

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