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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. cap — a lid
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. toast — bread
  8. cap — a hat
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. press — to push
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. spell — magic
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. board — to get on
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cap — of ice
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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