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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mug — to rob
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — to push
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mug — a cup
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mug — a face
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rest — what's left
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pitch — completely
  21. current — happening now
  22. rest — a break
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bulb — for light

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