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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. press — newspapers
  3. present — there
  4. season — in sport
  5. press — to push
  6. bulb — for light
  7. season — of the year
  8. pound — a weight
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — a gift
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. roll — a cake
  19. press — a publisher
  20. present — the time now
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. nail — on a finger

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