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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 met the new head ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. race — a contest
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. clip — for paper
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. race — the arms race
  9. rock — music
  10. press — to push
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bulb — for light
  14. race — humankind
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rock — a stone
  20. clip — to cut
  21. press — newspapers
  22. clip — a video
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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