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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. craft — boats
  3. club — for dancing
  4. craft — a skill
  5. press — newspapers
  6. suit — to fit
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. club — for golf
  10. spell — letters
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mug — a face
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mug — a cup
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. spell — a short time
  21. club — a group
  22. mug — to rob
  23. press — a publisher
  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