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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rock — music
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. press — to push
  12. bat — the animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. root — the cause
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. snap — to click
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. press — a publisher

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