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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. press — to push
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. last — final
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. last — to go on
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. last — finally

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