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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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. press — to push
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — magic
  7. bound — certain
  8. press — newspapers
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. spell — a short time
  19. branch — a division
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ground — a position
  23. bound — obliged
  24. calf — a young 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