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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spell — magic
  3. content — the amount
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — of a word
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. root — of a plant
  22. content — happy
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. root — the cause

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