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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. press — a publisher
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fall — the season
  10. press — newspapers
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fall — to drop
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fall — to drop
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. board — to get on
  21. squash — the sport
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. racket — for tennis

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