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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mug — a face
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. press — a publisher
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bulb — for light
  10. press — newspapers
  11. mug — to rob
  12. row — a line
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bulb — for light
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. press — to push
  21. date — the fruit
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mug — a cup

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