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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. object — a thing
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. swing — to play on
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bulb — for light
  9. object — to protest
  10. swing — in golf
  11. object — an aim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. content — happy
  14. wax — to grow
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. content — the amount
  17. tear — from crying
  18. press — to push
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. press — a publisher
  21. season — of the year
  22. swing — music
  23. season — in sport
  24. wax — for sculpting

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