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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rule — government
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stock — shares
  8. rule — a law
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stem — to come from
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stock — goods
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. press — a publisher
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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