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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.

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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pop — to visit
  4. race — humankind
  5. pop — soda
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pop — music
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — a coil
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. spell — magic
  15. race — the arms race
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. spring — of water
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. race — a contest
  20. press — to push
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. press — a publisher

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