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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rash — hasty
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. club — for dancing
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. club — for golf
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. press — to push
  15. club — a group
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. press — a publisher
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. present — there
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. rash — a series

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