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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — in cards
  4. march — music
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chair — a leader
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. march — the month
  14. press — newspapers
  15. charge — in control
  16. current — electric
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. current — happening now
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — a price
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. press — to push
  23. charge — electricity
  24. current — of water

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