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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mine — for digging
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. kid — child
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. press — to push
  20. kid — to tease
  21. stand — to bear
  22. press — a publisher
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. pass — a permit

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