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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mark — a trace
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. suit — in cards
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. season — of the year
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — an illness
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bulb — for light

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