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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. press — to push
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — to recline
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cue — a hint
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cue — a signal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pop — soda
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — a thrill

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