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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 116 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pop — music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. last — finally
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rule — government
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rule — a law
  24. fan — a supporter

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