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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: craft · cap · object · press · mate · pit · spell · fan

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. spell — magic
  2. cap — a lid
  3. spell — letters
  4. mate — a friend
  5. cap — of ice
  6. object — to protest
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. object — a thing
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. craft — a skill
  15. object — an aim
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cap — a hat
  18. craft — boats
  19. pit — in a race
  20. press — to push
  21. press — newspapers
  22. pit — a hole
  23. press — a publisher
  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