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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. roll — a list
  6. fall — to drop
  7. press — a publisher
  8. firm — steady
  9. spell — letters
  10. fall — the season
  11. spell — a short time
  12. fall — to drop
  13. firm — a company
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. spell — magic
  19. firm — decided
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. press — to push
  23. roll — a cake
  24. present — a gift

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