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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. press — a publisher
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rash — a series
  9. spell — magic
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. spell — letters
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. saw — the tool
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. branch — a division
  23. toast — bread
  24. suit — to fit

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