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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. fall — to drop
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. press — to push
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. track — a path
  9. fall — to drop
  10. track — a song
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. press — newspapers
  15. current — happening now
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rush — hurry
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fall — the season
  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