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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — goods
  7. press — newspapers
  8. suit — clothes
  9. face — part of the head
  10. press — to push
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rest — a break
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — shares
  17. face — to confront
  18. root — the cause
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. root — of a word

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