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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.

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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: ball · bore · land · spell · lash · press · current · stand

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bore — to tire
  6. spell — magic
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. ball — a great time
  11. press — to push
  12. current — electric
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. spell — letters
  16. land — to come down
  17. current — happening now
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. current — of water
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bore — to drill
  22. spell — a short time
  23. land — ground
  24. stand — on your feet

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