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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bulb — for light
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. press — a publisher
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pop — soda
  10. march — the month
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — a grade
  14. object — an aim
  15. march — the month
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. face — to point toward
  20. pop — music
  21. object — a thing
  22. press — to push
  23. pop — to visit
  24. march — 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