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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. spell — magic
  3. press — to push
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spell — letters
  6. press — a publisher
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bore — to drill
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. land — ground
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bore — to tire
  13. land — to come down
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rock — music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spell — a short time
  23. land — a country
  24. scale — in music

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