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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. press — a publisher
  5. kid — child
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. kid — to tease
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. press — to push
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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