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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spell — letters
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. press — newspapers
  9. firm — a company
  10. bulb — for light
  11. firm — decided
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — magic
  14. bulb — for light
  15. scale — in music
  16. press — to push
  17. firm — steady
  18. tear — from crying
  19. spell — a short time
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. scale — size or range
  24. can — to be able to

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