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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · cabinet · ruler · press · race · track

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. spell — a short time
  4. track — to keep track
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spell — magic
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. race — a contest
  15. press — newspapers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push

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