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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 · bat · foot · rule · bulb · firm · spell · cue

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bat — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rule — a law
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — a company
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. firm — steady
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. press — newspapers
  16. firm — decided
  17. press — to push
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. spell — letters
  21. rule — government
  22. foot — a measure
  23. press — a publisher
  24. cue — a hint

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