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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. row — a line
  6. spell — magic
  7. row — to paddle
  8. game — a match
  9. press — a publisher
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. spell — letters
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. ball — a great time
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cap — a hat
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ball — a dance

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