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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 124 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. present — a gift
  3. press — newspapers
  4. present — there
  5. drill — army training
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. press — to push
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. clip — for paper
  12. drill — the tool
  13. snap — to click
  14. bulb — for light
  15. clip — a video
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — clothes
  18. clip — to cut
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — the animal
  24. drill — a practice

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