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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: bowl · press · mate · spell · snap · bat · charge · deal

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. press — newspapers
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. spell — magic
  5. snap — to click
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. charge — a price
  10. bat — the animal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mate — a partner
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. charge — in control
  24. mate — to breed

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