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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. scale — in music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bulb — for light
  8. press — newspapers
  9. land — to come down
  10. press — a publisher
  11. present — there
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. roll — a list
  16. press — to push
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. present — a gift
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. present — the time now
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. land — ground
  24. land — a country

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