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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. press — to push
  5. ground — a position
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ground — the earth
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. spell — magic
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. spell — letters
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bowl — to roll

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