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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. press — a publisher
  11. face — to point toward
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. press — newspapers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bound — obliged
  18. press — to push
  19. pop — soda
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pop — music
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cap — a lid

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