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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chest — of your body
  6. band — a ring
  7. fine — all right
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. band — a music group
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. chest — a box
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. chest — of your body
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bulb — of a plant

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