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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: coach · content · object · press · spell · kick · roll · snap

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. content — the amount
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. roll — a cake
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. object — to protest
  10. kick — in football
  11. object — a thing
  12. spell — letters
  13. snap — to click
  14. spell — a short time
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. object — an aim
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. press — newspapers
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. roll — a list
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. content — happy

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