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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. press — to push
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. charge — a price
  9. spell — letters
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rash — hasty
  13. spell — magic
  14. charge — in control
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bear — the animal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. charge — electricity
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mate — to breed
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rash — a series
  24. bear — the animal

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