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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mark — a trace
  10. foot — a measure
  11. root — of a plant
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — magic
  14. fine — all right
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ball — a great time
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. root — the cause
  19. press — to push
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cue — a signal
  22. root — of a word
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fine — a penalty

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