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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pit — in a race
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. press — a publisher
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. root — of a plant
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pitch — completely
  18. root — of a word
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. root — the cause
  23. press — to push
  24. suit — clothes

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