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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. press — to push
  7. clip — a video
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wind — moving air
  10. clip — to cut
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pop — music
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. clip — for paper
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. nail — on a finger

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