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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. foot — a measure
  3. press — a publisher
  4. toast — bread
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — to push
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fall — to drop
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fall — the season
  24. fan — to cool the air

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