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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. root — of a word
  5. press — a publisher
  6. march — music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. root — of a plant
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. press — newspapers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — the cause
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. ball — a dance
  17. squash — to crush
  18. march — the month
  19. tear — from crying
  20. march — the month
  21. spell — letters
  22. ball — a great time
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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