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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mug — a cup
  5. tear — from crying
  6. object — to protest
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. tear — to rip
  10. spell — letters
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. press — to push
  16. mug — a face
  17. pass — a permit
  18. press — newspapers
  19. object — an aim
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mug — to rob
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pass — to succeed

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