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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bulb — for light
  3. staff — employees
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. last — to go on
  7. file — a tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. club — for golf
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. last — finally
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bulb — for light
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. club — a group
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bore — to drill
  22. press — a publisher
  23. file — a document
  24. last — final

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