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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. press — to push
  7. clip — for paper
  8. firm — steady
  9. board — a committee
  10. clip — a video
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. firm — a company
  13. press — newspapers
  14. board — to get on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. clip — to cut
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. press — a publisher
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. firm — decided

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