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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stand — to bear
  7. board — to get on
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. board — a committee
  11. press — to push
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. craft — boats
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. branch — a division

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