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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. spell — magic
  5. cue — a hint
  6. capital — money
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. drill — army training
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. press — to push
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. drill — the tool
  18. spell — letters
  19. press — newspapers
  20. capital — a city
  21. drill — a practice
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. press — a publisher
  24. capital — a big letter

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