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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ground — the earth
  6. swing — in golf
  7. ground — a position
  8. firm — decided
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ground — crushed
  11. firm — a company
  12. press — to push
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. swing — music
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bulb — for light
  17. swing — to play on
  18. firm — steady
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. press — newspapers

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