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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. land — a country
  7. current — electric
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — for catching
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. object — to protest
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. net — in sport
  15. current — of water
  16. mark — a trace
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. net — after costs
  20. current — happening now
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mark — to pay attention

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