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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. degree — from a university
  3. press — a publisher
  4. march — the month
  5. fall — the season
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — in cards
  9. march — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. march — the month
  13. fall — to drop
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — clothes
  19. press — to push
  20. bear — the animal
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — temperature
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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