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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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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: press · ruler · charge · pound · row · hide · spell · firm

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. row — to paddle
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — a weight
  9. spell — magic
  10. firm — decided
  11. row — a line
  12. press — newspapers
  13. charge — electricity
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. charge — in control
  18. press — to push
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — a price
  21. press — a publisher
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pound — for dogs

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