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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lean — thin
  14. mine — for digging
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. season — in sport
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. season — of the year
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rash — hasty

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