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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: club · bay · spell · tear · suit · press · mug · fan

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. tear — to rip
  6. press — to push
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. club — for dancing
  11. spell — letters
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spell — a short time
  18. press — a publisher
  19. club — for golf
  20. suit — to fit
  21. club — a group
  22. mug — a face
  23. tear — from crying
  24. spell — magic

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