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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. press — a publisher
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. press — newspapers
  13. spell — letters
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. press — to push
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mouse — the animal

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