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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mate — to breed
  3. spell — magic
  4. mate — a friend
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — high quality
  8. chip — for betting
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. snap — to click
  12. spell — a short time
  13. branch — a division
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mate — a partner
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. spell — letters
  22. fine — all right
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. press — a publisher

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