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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rock — music
  4. press — a publisher
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. field — for sport
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. field — a subject
  14. root — of a plant
  15. field — farmland
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. root — the cause
  19. charge — a price
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bulb — for light
  24. root — of a word

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