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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. spell — a short time
  7. press — newspapers
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mate — a friend
  10. spell — magic
  11. press — to push
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mate — a partner
  16. squash — to crush
  17. staff — employees
  18. track — a path
  19. fork — in a road
  20. track — a song
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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