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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. press — newspapers
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. game — wild animals
  5. press — a publisher
  6. spell — a short time
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mark — a trace
  14. spell — letters
  15. saw — the tool
  16. press — to push
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. game — a match
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spell — magic
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. hand — help
  24. ruler — a monarch

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