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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. charge — in control
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. charge — electricity
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. spell — letters
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rash — a series
  15. spell — magic
  16. cue — for pool
  17. snap — to click
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. press — to push
  20. key — in music
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. charge — a price
  23. cue — a signal
  24. spell — a short time

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