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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. staff — employees
  8. cell — in biology
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cell — a phone
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. press — newspapers
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. temple — a place of worship

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