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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pound — a weight
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rock — a stone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rock — music
  20. court — for sport
  21. press — to push
  22. court — of law
  23. bark — to shout
  24. court — of a king

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