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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bass — low music
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bulb — for light
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. press — to push
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. rash — a series
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stock — shares

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