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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wind — moving air
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mate — to breed
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mate — a friend
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. mate — a partner
  22. squash — to crush
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. stand — on your feet

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