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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. club — for golf
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. club — for dancing
  8. prune — to trim
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bulb — for light
  11. club — a group
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bound — tied together
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. press — to push
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stand — to bear
  22. face — to confront
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bass — low music

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