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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — there
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wind — moving air
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bulb — for light
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — a gift
  18. lie — to recline
  19. present — the time now
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. wind — moving air
  24. prune — to trim

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