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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bass — the fish
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. press — to push
  7. craft — boats
  8. face — to confront
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a dance
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. craft — a skill
  16. charge — in control
  17. pass — a permit
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bass — low music
  22. charge — a price
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bulb — of a plant

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