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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mug — to rob
  15. drill — the tool
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lean — to bend
  18. squash — the sport
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — a video
  21. squash — to crush
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mug — a face
  24. press — to push

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