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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. pop — to visit
  7. press — newspapers
  8. charge — electricity
  9. press — a publisher
  10. shower — rain
  11. game — wild animals
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. charge — in control
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — clever
  23. game — a match
  24. sharp — exactly

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