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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. roll — a cake
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cell — a phone
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rock — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mark — a grade
  17. roll — a list
  18. bulb — for light
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mark — a trace

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