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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. current — happening now
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lean — thin
  8. current — of water
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bat — the animal
  11. current — electric
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. press — to push
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fine — a penalty

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