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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bank — of a river
  8. press — newspapers
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. spell — letters
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. press — a publisher
  15. row — a line
  16. cell — in biology
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. press — to push
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bank — for money
  23. row — to paddle
  24. spell — magic

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