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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. track — a path
  4. suit — clothes
  5. saw — the tool
  6. track — a song
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — a tool
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ground — a position
  16. suit — in cards
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ground — the earth
  19. press — newspapers
  20. charge — electricity
  21. track — to keep track
  22. charge — in control
  23. suit — to fit
  24. charge — a price

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