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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pass — a permit
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. scale — size or range
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rash — a series
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rash — hasty
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. shower — rain

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