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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. land — ground
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. land — to come down
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. land — a country
  19. bore — to drill
  20. spell — magic
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pass — to succeed

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