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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. press — a publisher
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mate — to breed
  6. snap — to click
  7. bound — certain
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bulb — for light
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mate — a friend
  14. press — to push
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. bulb — for light
  18. charge — in control
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. suit — in cards
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bound — tied together
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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