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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 water is too ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. charge — in control
  6. bulb — for light
  7. press — a publisher
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. press — to push
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cold — an illness
  18. kick — in football
  19. lie — to recline
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — a price
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. charge — electricity
  24. press — newspapers

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