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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — soda
  4. press — newspapers
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — music
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bass — low music
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — steady
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. clip — to cut
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. clip — a video
  18. press — to push
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. clip — for paper
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mark — to pay attention

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