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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. press — to push
  10. mark — a trace
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. squash — to crush
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rock — music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bulb — for light
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rock — a stone
  24. press — newspapers

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