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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. press — to push
  7. club — for golf
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pop — soda
  11. roll — a cake
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. roll — a list
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bulb — for light

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