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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. press — to push
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mug — a face
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mug — to rob
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. scale — in music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — a publisher
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — thin
  24. safe — a strongbox

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