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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. press — to push
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bound — certain
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rest — what's left
  15. dip — to sink
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bound — obliged
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rest — a break
  23. wake — a trail
  24. leaves — lets stay

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