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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. row — a line
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. row — to paddle
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. press — a publisher
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. spell — letters
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chair — a leader
  19. suit — to fit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. suit — clothes
  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