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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. press — to push
  5. tube — a container
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bulb — for light
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wind — moving air
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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