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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.

Words on the sheet
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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ground — crushed
  4. squash — to crush
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ground — the earth
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. press — newspapers
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. press — to push
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ground — a position

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