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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. spell — letters
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bulb — for light
  10. press — to push
  11. spell — magic
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — a lid
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mug — a face
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — a hat
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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