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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bank — of a river
  8. press — newspapers
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. press — to push
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bank — for money
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — a tool
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. spell — magic
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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