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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. object — to protest
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. chest — of your body
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bark — to shout
  18. press — to push
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. chest — of your body
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chest — a box
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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