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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rest — what's left
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wind — moving air
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. plane — a tool
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wind — moving air
  17. press — to push
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pit — a hole
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rest — a break
  24. nail — for a hammer

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