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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.

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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rock — music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. press — to push
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. cue — a signal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rock — a stone
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bound — certain

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