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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. press — to push
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bound — obliged
  8. can — a tin
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bound — tied together
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wind — moving air
  14. can — a tin
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bound — certain
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. can — to be able to
  24. drill — the tool

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