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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.

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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: spell · press · bear · fork · fine · stand · bulb · sharp

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stand — to bear
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fine — all right
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — in a road
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — newspapers
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. spell — letters
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — to push
  24. fork — a garden tool

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