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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — newspapers
  4. track — a path
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. track — a song
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. press — to push
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. fall — the season
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. press — a publisher
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. roll — a list
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cabinet — ministers

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