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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spell — letters
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — to push
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bank — for money
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. tube — a container
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitch — completely
  20. press — a publisher
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. press — newspapers
  23. spell — magic
  24. wind — moving air

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