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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mark — a grade
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bulb — for light
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mark — a trace
  15. press — to push
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. press — newspapers
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. game — a match

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