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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — low music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cell — a phone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. press — a publisher
  9. field — a subject
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cell — in biology
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. press — to push
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. field — for sport
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. field — farmland

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