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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. season — of the year
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bank — for money
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. press — to push
  24. season — in sport

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