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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. press — a publisher
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. club — a group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bulb — for light
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. press — to push
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. club — for dancing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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