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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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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chest — a box
  4. root — of a word
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. root — the cause
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. press — to push
  10. lean — thin
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rock — music
  14. press — newspapers
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bulb — for light
  18. root — 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