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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tear — from crying
  7. present — the time now
  8. press — to push
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. squash — the sport
  12. present — a gift
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. last — final
  15. last — finally
  16. squash — to crush
  17. present — there
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. tear — from crying
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. press — newspapers
  24. last — to go on

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