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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. season — in sport
  3. chip — for betting
  4. net — for catching
  5. bore — to drill
  6. press — newspapers
  7. net — after costs
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bass — the fish
  11. spell — magic
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. spell — a short time
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bass — low music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. net — in sport
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. season — of the year
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. press — to push

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