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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bound — certain
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rash — a series
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bound — tied together
  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