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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. press — to push
  4. season — of the year
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bulb — for light
  8. drill — army training
  9. pitch — completely
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. drill — the tool
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. season — in sport
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. press — a publisher

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