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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. tube — a container
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. ground — a position
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bore — to drill
  12. press — to push
  13. tube — the underground
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. scale — in music
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. scale — size or range
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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