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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — to bend
  10. hand — in cards
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. spell — letters
  14. lean — thin
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — a publisher
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mate — a partner
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. press — to push
  23. spell — magic
  24. saw — the tool

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