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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. land — ground
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. band — a music group
  14. spell — letters
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. press — newspapers
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — a country
  22. pass — a permit
  23. press — to push
  24. spell — magic

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