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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. dip — to sink
  3. press — to push
  4. charge — in control
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bulb — for light
  7. press — newspapers
  8. land — to come down
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. charge — a price
  14. land — a country
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bulb — for light
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rush — hurry
  20. land — ground
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rush — a thrill

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