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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — a price
  4. press — a publisher
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bass — the fish
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. file — a document
  12. press — newspapers
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — in control
  18. bass — low music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. press — to push
  21. pop — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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