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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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. cell — in biology
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. clip — a video
  6. press — a publisher
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — to cut
  14. board — a committee
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. key — for a lock
  18. press — to push
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cell — a phone
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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