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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lean — thin
  5. season — in sport
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lean — to bend
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. pass — a permit
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rest — a break
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rest — what's left
  18. season — of the year
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rush — a thrill

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