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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bulb — for light
  3. land — ground
  4. land — a country
  5. hand — help
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. track — a path
  12. suit — in cards
  13. track — to keep track
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. squash — the sport
  19. land — to come down
  20. suit — to fit
  21. press — a publisher
  22. hand — in cards
  23. track — a song
  24. pound — to hit hard

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