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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cue — a signal
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mate — a partner
  24. press — newspapers

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