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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. 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. toast — the most admired
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bulb — for light
  5. band — a music group
  6. bound — certain
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bound — tied together
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. press — a publisher
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. charge — in control
  14. toast — bread
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. charge — electricity
  17. press — to push
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. charge — a price
  20. band — a ring
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. 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