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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. press — newspapers
  3. charge — in control
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. charge — a price
  8. press — to push
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. shower — rain
  12. capital — money
  13. press — a publisher
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. capital — a city
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. charge — electricity
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bulb — for light
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lean — thin

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