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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. press — to push
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. spell — letters
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stock — goods
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rush — hurry
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stock — shares
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spell — a short time
  14. band — a music group
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. band — a ring
  19. spell — magic
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stand — on your feet

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