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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bound — certain
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bound — tied together
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stock — shares
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ball — a great time
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stock — goods
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stock — a soup base

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