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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: drill · spell · ball · press · tube · sharp · object · kick

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. drill — the tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. spell — a short time
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. sharp — clever
  17. spell — letters
  18. object — an aim
  19. kick — in football
  20. drill — a practice
  21. tube — a container
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. drill — army training
  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