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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: wind · lie · track · object · spell · suit · press · ball

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. track — a song
  4. suit — clothes
  5. press — a publisher
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. ball — a dance
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. object — to protest
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lie — to recline
  14. track — to keep track
  15. suit — in cards
  16. press — newspapers
  17. spell — letters
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. track — a path
  20. ball — a great time
  21. press — to push
  22. wind — moving air
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — to fit

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