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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. press — newspapers
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fall — to drop
  8. race — humankind
  9. firm — decided
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — the season
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — steady
  19. rest — what's left
  20. press — to push
  21. firm — a company
  22. race — a contest
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. press — a publisher

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