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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. scale — size or range
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. file — a line of people
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. scale — in music
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a document
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. tube — a container
  21. wax — to grow
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stem — of a plant
  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