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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. face — to confront
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. sharp — clever
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. spring — a coil
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. face — part of the head
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — of water
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bowl — a dish

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