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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: bear · rush · hide · game · press · rest · leaves · spell

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rest — a break
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. game — a match
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spell — magic
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. game — wild animals
  21. press — to push
  22. spell — letters
  23. rest — what's left
  24. spell — a short time

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