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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. capital — a city
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. capital — money
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bass — low music
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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