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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a dance
  7. file — a document
  8. bulb — for light
  9. file — a tool
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stock — goods
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fall — the season
  15. press — to push
  16. can — a tin
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. can — a tin
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fall — to drop

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