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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mug — a cup
  3. press — to push
  4. ground — a position
  5. mug — a face
  6. rest — what's left
  7. press — a publisher
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mug — to rob
  10. present — the time now
  11. ground — the earth
  12. key — for a lock
  13. present — there
  14. press — newspapers
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. spell — a short time
  18. present — a gift
  19. spell — magic
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ground — crushed
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — electric
  24. key — in music

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