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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. current — happening now
  3. content — the amount
  4. press — to push
  5. current — electric
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. squash — to crush
  8. current — of water
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. press — a publisher
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. spell — letters
  16. present — the time now
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. board — a committee
  19. spell — a short time
  20. content — happy
  21. squash — the sport
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. squash — the vegetable

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