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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — letters
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. swing — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — a price
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — newspapers
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. suit — in cards
  14. swing — to play on
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chest — of your body
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spell — a short time
  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