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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 116 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: chair · cue · present · spell · suit · branch · press · mouse

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. press — to push
  3. present — a gift
  4. cue — a signal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spell — letters
  7. present — the time now
  8. press — newspapers
  9. chair — a leader
  10. suit — in cards
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. branch — a division
  14. present — there
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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