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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.

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 · rest · bear · row · press · arm · mark · game

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. press — newspapers
  3. row — a line
  4. spell — letters
  5. mark — a grade
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. press — a publisher
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. spell — a short time
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. game — a match
  13. bear — the animal
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. press — to push
  17. rest — a break
  18. bear — the animal
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rest — what's left
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rest — what's left

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