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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lean — to bend
  4. suit — in cards
  5. charge — electricity
  6. drill — a practice
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. press — to push
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. lean — thin
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. drill — army training
  16. suit — clothes
  17. row — to paddle
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — a publisher
  21. charge — in control
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

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