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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lean — thin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — to push
  7. bulb — for light
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. press — a publisher
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rest — a break
  13. press — newspapers
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lean — to bend
  16. ball — a great time
  17. branch — a division
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a dance
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. roll — a list

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