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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — newspapers
  4. track — a path
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. game — a match
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. track — a song
  11. press — to push
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. key — in music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rash — hasty
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rash — a series
  24. track — to keep track

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