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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. press — to push
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. march — music
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. march — the month
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chair — a leader
  16. march — the month
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bulb — of a plant

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