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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bulb — for light
  5. can — to be able to
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. club — for golf
  9. branch — a division
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — of the year
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. club — a group
  16. press — newspapers
  17. can — a tin
  18. press — to push
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. spell — letters
  24. bass — the instrument

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