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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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bulb — for light
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. current — electric
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. current — of water
  13. press — a publisher
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. spell — a short time
  21. current — happening now
  22. press — newspapers
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. press — to push

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