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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 116 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cap — a hat
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rest — a break
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cap — of ice
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rest — what's left
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cap — a lid
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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