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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. press — to push
  3. bulb — for light
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. game — a match
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ground — crushed
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. press — newspapers
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — help
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ground — the earth
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hand — in cards
  23. ground — a position
  24. mouse — the animal

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