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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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. spring — a coil
  3. current — happening now
  4. press — to push
  5. present — a gift
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pitch — completely
  8. current — electric
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. spring — of water
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. current — of water
  16. press — a publisher
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. spell — magic
  20. spring — the season
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. spell — letters
  23. press — newspapers
  24. present — there

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