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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — to push
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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