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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. press — newspapers
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. press — to push
  6. dip — to sink
  7. press — a publisher
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pop — to visit
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — a line
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bulb — for light

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